


A Greek Tradition

by fragilecapricornpanic



Series: PRE-WRITTEN, Pre-Canon Sibling Encounters [54]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves Friendship, Ben Hargreeves Deserves Better, Ben Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Bittersweet, Canon Compliant, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Ghost Ben Hargreeves, Good Sibling Ben Hargreeves, Humor, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Pre-Canon, Sad Vanya Hargreeves, Vanya Hargreeves Deserves Better, Vanya Hargreeves Gets a Hug, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:28:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26314171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fragilecapricornpanic/pseuds/fragilecapricornpanic
Summary: “Knock again.” Ben demanded, shoving his hands into his pockets. He needed to see Vanya, he missed her so much. “Youknock, you prick!” Klaus pettily yelped, purely to get a rise from Ben.A concerned looking Vanya opened the door, furrowing her brow immediately. Klaus cleared his throat and turned to face her, dropping his scowl to grin like a Cheshire Cat. “Happy birthday!” he exclaimed, shoving the gift out towards her.Or - Ben really wants to see Vanya on their birthday.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves
Series: PRE-WRITTEN, Pre-Canon Sibling Encounters [54]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1869709
Comments: 7
Kudos: 138





	A Greek Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> (Klaus isn’t an asshole he’s just struggling a lot too, and bad at feelings)

“I want to see Vanya.” Ben pleaded, pacing around impatiently. Klaus’ life could be so utterly boring. Ben was supposed to be turning 21, but now he was just stuck doing nothing with his most chaotic sibling. Watching Klaus have no plans for their birthday was just depressing.

“No one’s stopping you.” Klaus giggled, making a shooing motion towards Ben. He knew perfectly well that that wasn’t what Ben meant. He could wander to their sister’s apartment, and phase through her walls - but it wasn’t the same. Even though he can’t talk to Vanya with Klaus, hearing her speak rather than mope around alone is massively preferable. “Please.” Ben whined. If he nagged enough, Klaus would sometimes halfheartedly translate for him. Normally he has to manipulate him a lot for that to happen, but Ben didn’t feel too guilty. Klaus kind of deserved it. “I’m busy.” Klaus bluntly replied, causing Ben to snort mockingly.

He was doing literally nothing but smoking a cigarette on the balcony of some random guy’s apartment. “No you’re not, he’s gonna make you leave.” Ben stated in a very matter of fact way. They always kicked Klaus out when they woke up, they both knew that. “Prick.” Klaus grunted as he stubbed his cigarette out on the balcony’s railing. “Come on, you know it’s true.” Ben groaned, immediately feeling reprehensible since he knew Klaus was extremely sensitive about that subject. Maybe he shouldn’t have said that. His brother turned to face him as he opened the balcony door, biting his cheek in contemplation. “We’re gonna need a gift.” he announced curtly. 

—

Watching his brother traipse around stores aimlessly, it made Ben frown to see how little Klaus knew their sister. “No, she won’t like that.” he remarked, glancing at the pink scarf in his brother’s hand. “It’s a gift for _her_ , not you.” Ben teased sarcastically. Klaus dropped his grip of the scarf, glaring over his shoulder at Ben. “Maybe we should go to the men’s section.” he suggested to Klaus, not under the impression that they were going to find anything remotely Vanya in here. “Ew!” Klaus grimaced, looking Ben over like he’d grown an extra head. “Again, for _her_ , not you.” Ben scolded softly, as though he were addressing a five year old who wanted to get his mom Lego for her birthday. 

—

“That one.” Ben stated bluntly, pointing at the light grey button up on the rack Klaus was flicking through. He was taking _forever_ to look. Klaus huffed and put back the purple paisley shirt he’d been gawping at. “What size is she, she’s goddamn tiny...” Klaus whispered as he squinted to focus his vision on the various sized hangers. Ben shuffled his weight from foot to foot, he had no idea what size Vanya was. He didn’t even know what size _he_ was, he’d never really bought many of his own clothes before he died. “The smallest?” he suggested uncertainly.

Klaus giggled obnoxiously. “No shit, couldn’t have guessed that...” he mumbled under his breath, as he stuck his face right up to the hangers so he could see better. “Then why did you ask, asshole.” Ben grunted, wishing he could shove his brother face first into the rack of clothes. “Who said I was talking to you?” Klaus snipped, waving a dismissive hand in his direction. Ben shook his head and looked off to his side in irritation. This kind of shit was exactly why Ben couldn’t be too mad at his other siblings for not believing Klaus’ claims that Ben was there.

“Do you need a freaking seeing eye dog?!” Ben groaned, throwing his head back. It was unbearable how long it was taking his brother to find the goddamn size. He would lecture his brother about being so wasted at noon that he couldn’t read, but it would go in one ear and out the other. “Why would I need one of those when I have _you_ following me around all the fucking time?!” Klaus hissed as he finally pulled out an XXS. The sales attendant who had been approaching them promptly turned in the other direction and hurried away.

—

Reluctantly knocking on the door, Klaus steadied himself against the frame. “She’s gonna think I’m here to rob her.” he mumbled to Ben, not having the sense to not speak to him when Vanya could probably freaking hear him through the door. Ben clenched his jaw and coldly glared at Klaus, knowing his brother well enough to have the strong suspicion that that _was_ why he had agreed. “I’m not!” Klaus defensively squawked, throwing his hand up so violently that Vanya’s shirt nearly flew out of it. Ben looked down at his shoes, not wanting to get into this discussion. “Oh well, looks like she’s not home...” Klaus drawled apathetically, shrugging his shoulders with faux disappointment. “Knock again.” Ben demanded, shoving his hands into his pockets. He needed to see Vanya, he missed her so much. “ _You_ knock, you prick!” Klaus pettily yelled, purely to get a rise from Ben. 

A concerned looking Vanya opened the door, furrowing her brow immediately. Klaus cleared his throat and turned to face her, dropping his scowl to grin like a Cheshire Cat. “Happy birthday!” he exclaimed, shoving the shirt out towards her. Vanya opened and closed her mouth like a fish, apprehensively reaching out to take the shirt from her brother’s hand. “...thanks.” she finally muttered, looking down at the button-up with intense curiosity. 

—

“Will you take a goddamn break?!” Ben snapped at his brother as he watched him try to stealthily snoop around Vanya’s possessions whilst she was busy in the kitchen. Klaus slowly pulled his hand from the bowl of bits and bobs he’d been shuffling through. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he announced nonchalantly. Ben rolled his eyes and sauntered over to their sister. She was making the sandwich that Klaus had brashly asked for as soon as he stepped over the threshold. Even after all these years, it still hurt for Ben to watch people move around him as though he wasn’t even there. Especially Vanya.

It was soul destroying that Vanya seemingly had no other gifts in her apartment, though there was probably one positive - at least Klaus couldn’t steal them. She had a singular cupcake on her kitchen counter, which was almost more heartbreaking than her having no cake at all. Vanya cut the peanut butter and jelly sandwich into triangles, and placed it onto a plate. She turned on her heel to give it to Klaus, but stopped herself and turned back around. Ben let out a gentle snort as he watched her cut off the crusts. 

“Here you go.” Vanya quietly murmured as she gently held the plate out towards her brother. Klaus’ eyes lit up as he snatched the sandwich in his hands, completely neglecting the plate. Vanya awkwardly stood with the dish lingering in her hand for a moment, before retracting and placing it down on her coffee table. She sat on the edge of her couch and fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Doing so reminded her of the button-up Klaus had bizarrely given her. Vanya gazed over to it, biting down on her lip. She liked it, and she would definitely wear it... but she knew it would have been stolen. It didn’t feel right. Maybe she would have to donate it to Goodwill. Klaus sighed, which drew her attention back to him. He was staring at nothing, as usual. “Do you have any plans?” he flatly asked through a mouthful of his sandwich. Vanya held back a face of revulsion. 

She looked down to her boots, feeling incredibly uncomfortable and pathetic. “No...” she admitted reticently. What kind of loser has no plans on their 21st birthday? Vanya knew she was unlikeable but this just proved to her how _loathed_ she must be. “Do you?” she murmured, bringing her vision back up to her brother’s face. He chewed his sandwich dozily for a moment. “Probably just the same shit as usual.” he shrugged. A terrible, awful part of Vanya felt a little relieved that she wasn’t the only one to have no plans out of the ordinary. She glumly smiled in response.

“Don’t y’think it’s kind of weird that we’re supposed to celebrate being...” Klaus gestured his hand vaguely “shat out?” he wheezed at his own crudeness. Vanya couldn’t help but smirk too, even though she thought his wording was horrific - the shock factor was funny enough. “I...” she tried to process her thoughts “...guess?” she momentarily lifted her shoulder to show she was unsure. Klaus raised his eyebrows thoughtfully as he finished the last mouthful of his sandwich. He brushed the crumbs from his hands and pulled himself up from his chair. Vanya looked up at her brother, wondering if he was going to leave. It was a very awkward visit, but she would be disappointed for it to end so soon. She had nothing else to do. Klaus glowered at thin air, narrowing his eyes until they became slits. He slumped back down into the chair after a few moments, propping his head up with his hand. Vanya wasn’t sure what on Earth that was about, but she didn’t like to ask.

“-t is wrong with you? You can’t even stay for longer than thirty minutes?!” Ben continued ranting at his brother “She’s clearly lonely, don’t be such an asshole!” he yelled, gesturing down to their little sister. She looked so goddamn mopey, would it be so difficult for Klaus to make the tiniest amount of effort. “All day every day it’s just about _you_ , would it be so hard to just spend one afternoon caring about someone else?!” he groaned, wishing he could punch something to take out his frustrations. “I sat back down, didn’t I?! Stop nagging at me!” Klaus shouted, angrily reaching for the plate and throwing it at Ben like a frisbee. They both looked to one another with wide eyes as it phased through and shattered against the wall. “I’ve been dead for _four years_!” Ben complained in exasperation. 

Catching her breath after practically shooting through the air in shock, Vanya reached into her pocket for her pill bottle. Klaus always made her so on edge. The shaking of her pills made his vision snap to her, like a cat when they hear their box of treats. She looked down awkwardly as she shoved her pill into her mouth. Klaus shook his head to himself lazily, like he was shaking a thought from his mind. “I’m sorry.” he murmured with a forced grin. “I thought there was a...” he looked up to the same spot of thin air and winced “... _tradition_ , in Greece.” he drawled, glancing back to her with a dopy smirk. Vanya gazed over to the wall he’d thrown a plate at. “A tradition...” she repeated in disbelief, squinting at her wall as she tried to understand why and how he could’ve possibly thought that was an appropriate idea. Vanya didn’t want to consider who her brother believed he was yelling at. She heard Klaus gulp nervously, so loud it was almost comical.

“I should go.” Klaus blurted as he shot up from his chair, before almost falling over and staggering to steady himself. Klaus held his arms out for a hug, raising an eyebrow at Vanya when she didn’t budge from her seat. She didn’t want to hug him, he stole her watch last time. Vanya was trying to work on not doing everything her siblings demanded, her therapist said she needed to put herself first... but, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. She reluctantly stood to her feet, and shuffled into his hug, grimacing the whole way. Although she felt incredibly out of her comfort zone, it would be nice to hug someone... even if he had an ulterior motive. No one else was going to hug her.

Ben glared on in bitter jealously as Klaus hugged the sibling he missed the most. He’d longed to hug her for four miserable years... but he was glad she was getting a hug from _somebody_. She deserved the affection on her birthday, even if he just watched his brother steal twenty dollars from her back pocket.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m trying to upload this series fully before I get back to college, me working weird hours is making that easy lol. Anyway I need to find time to go through most of the rest to make sure they’re in character :)


End file.
